


Thoroughbred Slaves, Belgian Banes, and Rebel Rescuers

by Blakpaw



Category: Batman (Movies - Nolan)
Genre: AU, Abuse, Cantaur!Barsad, Centaur AU, Centaur!Bane, Fantastic Racism, Kingdome Au, Knight!Bruce, M/M, Mistreatment, Segregation, Slave Handlers, Thoroughbred Barsad, Whipping, belgian Horse Bane, knight!John, slavery mentions
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-03
Updated: 2018-06-03
Packaged: 2019-05-17 20:28:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14838641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blakpaw/pseuds/Blakpaw
Summary: John joined the Gotham Guard to better the treatment of centaurs, to help them escape the oppression of the king of Gotham. He was relieved to learn he was not alone in this cause, the head of the Gotham Guard had created a secret society to fight for the rights of centaurs, alongside with the help of the Dark Knight.





	Thoroughbred Slaves, Belgian Banes, and Rebel Rescuers

It sickened John how they treated the centaurs of the kingdoms. The beautiful, intelligent, and strong race enslaved and treated less than human simply because half their body shared features with horses. Laws had been passed, stating centaurs were beneath even the commonwealth, that they had no choice but to follow the orders of civilians of the village, they were enslaved. That had been almost two centuries ago, and the laws only became harsher, the Gotham Guard punished centaurs brutal, even if there was strong evidence the poor people had nothing to do with any crimes. They became the punching bag of society, doing the menial labor that the rest of the kingdom is reluctant to do.

John joined the Gotham Guard to better the treatment of centaurs, to help them escape the oppression of the king of Gotham. He was relieved to learn he was not alone in this cause, the head of the Gotham Guard had created a secret society to fight for the rights of centaurs, alongside with the help of the Dark Knight. The Dark Knight, commonly referred to simply as the Knight, was a warrior clad in black, spiked armor, and often seen dashing through the knight on a black steed, with a long dark cape flowing behind him. He does not kill, but often were ever he is seen centaurs vanish in herds. He leaves bat shaped pieces of model in fence posts wherever he goes, both a taunt and a promise.

The numbers of the society are small, but strong. They fight for what they believe to be right, they fight were they can not be seen, but they are heard. John is one of the most recent members, and each new member is initiated by assisting in a “Barn Break”, as they call it, or is successful completing his own Barn Break. John already has his target, he’s known from the beginning who he wants to help the most.

He is by far one of the stronger centaurs John has ever seen, he’s a Belgian breed, standing high above the heads of any man, even when they are clad in armor and mounted on horses. His human body is tan of skin, but completely hairless, and he has stunning, stormy blue eyes, his arms and torso bulge with threatening muscle. His equine body is strong and sturdy, a dark grey color, he has thick hooves, which are covered in long black hair that cascades down his canon bone. He is referred to as a Belgian breed of centaur, and was given the nickname of “The Belgian Bane” though most refer to him simply as Bane. Bane was, form what John could gather, born in captivity in the deserts of Arabia. 

He was kept in the dark holding pits before he was finally sold, when he was at the peak of his youth, no longer a child but not yet a full stallion. Bane has been sold and resold so many times in his life, the records of his previous ownership runs long. Bane is covered in whip lashing scars on his flank and back, his tail has been docked, little more than a stub, leaving his rump fly bitten and sore looking. Bane is forced to wear a muzzle, obscuring his face. Muzzles are rarely used on centaurs, the only ones forced to wear them are the ones considered the most dangerous. They can only be removed when unlocked from the wearers head, any attempts to remove it otherwise will damage the jaw.

John seeks to save Bane because he is sent on many cases to Bane’s working place, for Bane himself or one of his peers. Bane is often blamed for most wrong doing on his farm, and multiple times John has had to whisper how sorry he is as he hands the gargantuan centaur to the Gotham Guard and to watch the lashings strike so hard they lick open the skin on his back or flank. It is truly a sight to behold though, it speaks of strength in the centaurs mind. Though the muscles under his grey flank twitch when the skin their splits, or his back tenses when it cuts open, he always stares directly into the eyes of his handler, his enslaver. His eyes never waver from their determined gaze.

John think he would become a massive asset if only he could convince the centaur to assist them. He would not be the first to join them, though they are few and far between, several centaurs stand with them in their cause. They are able to talk about certain handlers and how some places treat their centaurs, the places they consider the most detrimental targets.

So, since being given his task John has been casing the farmland Bane is forced to work on, pulling plows across the field or heavy carts into town. Even with fresh wounds the centaur pushes on strong. John spends many nights watching the guards’ schedules, and learning which centaurs are cycled out for their work hours and when.

John decided that tonight would be the night he would initiate the Barn Break. So that's kind of why he got here now, hiding against the broad side of the dusty, dinghy wooden barn, he can hear the sound of restless hooves and gentle murmuring inside. He had noted a light on under the barn, and he knows that some of the centaurs are awake. It’s risky, just opening the barn door will cast light onto the moonlight ground outside, but if he’s careful maybe he can slide in unseen, convince them to turn the light of and head for the spot were he’d torn down a few posts.

John takes one more breath before willing himself to unclasp the barn door and quickly slide inside, being quiet and gentle before he turns around. Instantly he feels the tension in the air, dozens of sets of eyes stare at him, the nervous shifting of hooves returns, louder now. The barn stinks, and his eyes slowly scan across the faces boring in to him with worried eyes. John gulps a bit, and e hears a loud shifting. A lumbering form rises higher and higher in his stall, having been laying for but a short moment, and all eyes turn to Bane as he stands over the stranger in their barn.

When he speaks, Bane’s voice is calm and deep, reverberating off the muzzle and adding a mystical sound to it. He simply asks “What brings you here, stranger? I do not think you come to collect, as you do not seem to have a holster.” despite how calm he sounds, there is a bitterness that suddenly waves through the room, hooves scrape across the ground in agitation at the mere thought. Silence falls with a simple rise of Bane’s large calloused hand, but the tension still rests heavy in the air, and Bane motions to John, to speak.

In most other circumstances John would have to pretend to be offended by the way Bane is taking control of the situation, addressing John as and equal, but here he can accept this, he can treat Bane as an equal. He glances around a bit at the full barn before addressing them all “I’m here to help, I’m in association the Knight and his league, I’m going to get you all out of here tonight and to a safe house were you can b-”

“And how do we know you will not attempt to kill us or sell us on some black market?” A leaner, smaller centaur speaks up. He has lazy and droopy eyes, and a scruffy beard, a tattered red bandanna is tied around his neck. The stallion has a pure black equine body with a thoroughbred horse build, and a long tail that had been heavily braided, to avoid muck and filth on the ends of it.

It is Bane who speak for him “This is the small guard I’ve told you of, brother. He one who looks so pitiful when he comes to collect me.” his eyes crinkle, and it seems this brother of Bane finds the fact amusing, his eyes still droop in a board fashion, but his lips curl the slightest. He glances at John again and nods “You appear correct brother, the empathetic fool.”

The barn fills with soft, gentle chuckles and John glances around, offended and a bit confused. The jovial feel dies quickly, however. They glance at each other as they silently communicate before they look to Bane again. John has heard of this before, he thinks, how sometimes the enslaved centaurs appoint a herd leader, to guide and protect them. It seems Bane has been chosen for this taxing role. He looks to John again and then looks to his brother.

“Me and Barsad shall follow him. If the coast is considered clear we will return to take the rest of you. If it is not, Barsad shall flee alone, and I will deal with whatever danger may await us.’ Bane’s eyes return to John, daring him to do anything besides what he has told them he would. John simply nods, and he grabs the ring of key pointed out to him. He unlocks Barsad first, and then Bane. The keys are taken from his hands, and the lantern light is smothered.

They leave the barn, as quiet as they can be, and the walk is eerily silent, not a word is passed between them as they make it to the torn down posts. Bane is not satisfied after he’s done a perimeter around the gap before they walk back. They’re cutting close on time now, and things are getting dangerous. The rest of the centaurs are let from their stalls, the nervous energy is growing tenser and tenser as they begin to walk farther away from the barn. John has heard that a few times during Barn Breaks stampedes break out, but he notes the way Bane moves around the herd, he makes whispered comments to the most twitchy of them and he seems to keep the herd calm enough to resist feeling.

The sound of heavy hooves and soft whispers follow him for almost thirty minutes before they make it to the safe house, bless sweet old Alfred as he opens the door to usher them inside, the smell of stew wafting through the doors. He can see excitement begin to replace apprehension as they slowly move inside. Alfred provides them with even proportions and bedding and offerings for places to sleep, saying they would stay anywhere in the open barn or outside, whichever made them most comfortable. Bane accepts John’s offer to remove the muzzle, but take his meal outside, the thoroughbred, Barsad, joins him. John decides he can wait to talk with him and joins the remaining centaurs in their meal.

The room comes alive with excited bodies, as they talk softly with each other. He can see how scared they are to hope, to believe that this is true, but the excitement grows as they come to terms slowly that this is no dream, no bluff. Eventually Barsad and Bane return, a settling down to rest for a while on the ground with the older centaurs. John takes his opportunity then to approach Bane again.

As soon as he stands, those keen blue eyes are on him, John notes silently Bane still has his muzzle on but doesn't say anything on it as he takes a seat by them. He glances between the small group laying done for a moment before he gently clears his throat and turns to address Bane, but a gently raised palm is already raised asking for silence. Bane’s eyes crinkle at the edges though, and he looks far from grim.

“I have already been fighting against my enslavement, with another.” Bane admits, “I am unaware if she is with you, I doubt she is. I know already what you will ask of me, and I can only offer temporary assistance.” he gently tilts his head towards John “I will join you in your stand until she arrives for me and my brother.”

John pauses before he awkwardly nods, he really doesn't know what to say at all. Bane turns to Barsad, and murmurs something in another language. John chooses than to take his leave and head towards his sleeping role for the night, a small fire was crackling in the middle of the warmth, adding warmth and light. As he lay down, he watched Barsad briefly whisper among the others, they glance at John and he briefly wonders if Barsad is spreading his offer for them to join. He’d already mentioned it earlier when he sat down to eat, stating that the doors the Dark Knight and his society were always open for them, and grateful for any an all help offered.

Perhaps it is not the most impressive of Barn Breaks, but he feels accomplished in his task. They are lucky they went unseen and unheard, they still have many miles to cover to make it the main base, and even further still out of the kingdoms territory, but for the first night things went very smooth. 

He closes his eyes and lays out, relaxed, on his bed roll, and manages to fall asleep for the night.


End file.
